hell is empty, and all the devils are here
by quotingCorvids
Summary: A series of interrelated drabbles (not in chronological order), dispersed across the series. Allen-Neah-OC-Crown-Clown(?)-centric. Very obviously AU.
1. curiosity

"Demons, Junior?"

Aforementioned boy held down the instinctive flinch at the sudden words of his master, closing the book in his hands while cursing his inability to hear the old man approach. _One day…_ "Just caught my eye, is all. Are we leaving now?"

His master nodded, narrowed eyes surrounded by thick black makeup as he gestured for his apprentice to follow him. "Remember, don't—"

"—get attached, yes, we've been through this a thousand times," interrupted the younger. "I'm an old hand at this, this is what, my 73rd name? I don't make mistakes, old man."

Said old man's hand shot out, lightning fast, and slapped his apprentice upside the neck. A yelp escaped the victim's lips, and he scowled, rubbing the stinging spot with one hand.

"Don't get cocky, brat," muttered the master. "You're still a child compared to me."

"Everyone's a child compared to you, what with your ridiculously old ag— ow!"


	2. interloper

All sides watched with bated breath as Allen Walker's body slowly began to grow pale, the grey skin marking one as a Noah gradually receding from his skin. Who would be the one to open his eyes? The Fourteenth, bright gold? Allen, shining silver? As the Black Order scientists watched the body begin to rise, climbing to his feet, hearts sinking in their chests.

Those weren't Allen's smooth movements. Those were the jerky motions of someone getting used to a body, stiff and testing the waters.

_Allen… lost?_

Yuu Kanda stared down at his sword, Mugen, and back up at the person he had stabbed without flinching, gritting his teeth and looking away in shame. He had done this. He had killed Allen Walker.

Slowly, pale eyelids rose, revealing a sight that crushed the Black Order's hearts and lifted the heart of the Millennium Earl.

Bright gold irises with slitted pupils, surrounded by a pitch black sclera. These were, undoubtedly, not the eyes of Allen Walker.

The Earl came forward, arms spreading open wide as he walked across the ruined landscape, ignoring Yuu Kanda, ignoring Alma Karma, ignoring the Black Order personnel, ignoring the rest of the Noahs, until…

He halted in his tracks, arms lowering as he stared back into the eyes of the wraith possessing the cursed boy's body.

That wasn't the Fourteenth. That wasn't his dearest Nea. Who was this trespasser? _Who was this?!_

"Who are you?" he demanded, enraged by this interloper, this unwelcomed guest to the scene of his and his dearest Fourteenth's reunion. "Who are you?!"

The demon in Allen's body stared the Earl down, blank faced, before eyes narrowed and a snarl twisted the features accustomed to polite smiles and vibrant expressions.

"I think the real question is," said the demon with Allen's voice, "who the fuck are you?"


	3. trapped

They awoke slowly, hard ground unforgiving against their back. They sat up, going through the motions of straightening up, stretching before they surveyed their surroundings with a distasteful gaze.

The landscape was pitch black with gnarled white trees, a large crescent moon reminiscent of a face hanging in the sky. Fog blanketed the ground, an earthbound cloud obscuring the gravestones littering the blackened earth. There was a lake in the distance, but they resolved to stay put.

What was this place? Who were they? Why were they here? These questions looped through their mind as they walked onward, feet leading them on an aimless path. They reached out, brushing the edges of the gravestones as they passed with a pale hand.

Soon, they came to a tall, thin stone structure. There were chains curiously wrapped around it, and their pace quickened as their interest grew. They leaned forward, craning their head to look at the side hidden from them, and froze as memories bombarded their head. Hissing in pain, they pressed their fingers to their temples, attempting to massage the headache born from the onslaught of memories.

They froze as a piece of information registered in their mind, and a slow, lazy smile adorned their lips. They reached out, fingers hovering away from a grey-skinned cheek as they looked down at the man chained to his throne with half-lidded eyes, observing him in deep slumber.

"Hello there, Neah. It seems we're both trapped here, doesn't it?"


	4. desperation

"Nothing left to lose, huh?" he whispered, the back of his right, human hand bleeding freely. Each drip of his blood echoed almost deafeningly in the basement, and he took a shuddering breath.

"This is for you, Neah," he said, eyes burning silver behind round glasses as he dropped, slamming his bloody hand on the edge of the inscribed ritual circle drawn in the stone with his own blood, accumulated from months of study.

His master always said he'd get mixed up with demons. He always thought the old man meant the Noah clan, purposely ignoring the tattered book laying in his bag, detailing the many dwellers of Perdition. He claimed them to be fairy tales, myths, when asked about his interest in them, but even so, his mind always strayed to them. He supposed that was the effect of a demon.

The floor pulsed under him like a shockwave, and he dug his nails into the stone, uncaring of the pain. His left arm, bandaged, gradually grew hotter and hotter, and he hissed. "Bear with it," he whispered. "Please."

The shockwaves grew more forceful, until he was finally thrown back, the sound of lightning striking and crackling hurting his ears. He wheezed from the impact of his back against the wall, and looked up.

"_Good evening, little mortal."_


	5. knowledge

His silver eyes scanned the pages, so engrossed in the words that he didn't even notice a pair of shadows being cast over him, until one said:

"Demons, Allen? Scary."

He whirled around, slamming the book closed, cheeks burning bright red. It was always embarrassing to be caught. "Scary?! It's not scary!" He jabbed a finger at the speaker. "What's scary is _you two_ always sneaking up on me so silently! At least have the decency to make some noise so I'm alerted to your approach!"

The shorter haired one laughed, while the longer haired one rolled his eyes, smiling exasperatedly at their antics. Allen pushed up his glasses and scowled. "It's not funny!"

"Yes, it is!" Allen looked pleadingly at the longer haired one, who slapped the other upside the head.

"Stop teasing Allen," he said sternly.

The shorter haired one whined. "Mana! But it's hilarious!"

"I beg to differ," snapped Allen.

"Then beg."

The auburn haired man fumed, before taking a breath to compose himself. "Shut up, Neah," he said grouchily. "I have a question for you guys."

The twins, Neah and Mana, straightened up, Neah raising an eyebrow and Mana tilting his head. "What is it?" asked Mana.

"Do you think you could fight a demon?"

The pair exchanged confused looks, before putting it down as their friend just being weird again. Neah scratched the back of his head. "Well, I don't really know a lot about demons, strength and ability wise. I wouldn't be able to predict the outcome with no information, honestly?"

Allen looked down at the book in his hands, and held it out. "Read it. It has basically everything you need to know."

Mana eyed the book nervously. "It's not going to teleport us to hell, right?"

Allen gave him a deadpan look. "_You're _worried about going to hell?"

"Just because we're Noah doesn't mean we aren't scared of hell!" Neah snickered at his twin's outburst, even though he too looked at the book nervously.

"If we touch it, will it summon a demon?"

Allen nearly facepalmed. "You two are so paranoid! What the fuck, guys, it's just a book!"

"What if we get possessed when we touch it—"

"JUST TAKE THE GODDAMNED BOOK, CAMPBELLS!"


End file.
